Audible signal apparatus



NOV. 10, 1953 DOHM 2,659,071

AUDIBLE SIGNAL APPARATUS Filed March 5, 1951 INVENTOR JAMES DOHM I ATTORNEY5 Patented Nov. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to improved audible signal apparatus.

The main object of this invention is to produce an audible signal which is more eiiective than known signals of this type.

Another object is the provision of an audible signal device, such as a vehicle horn or siren, which is much improved over those now incommon use.

A further object is the provision of an audible signal, and particularly a vehicle horn, which cuts through the normal noisy atmosphere in heavy traflic.

Yet another object is the provision of a vehicle horn which offers a greater degree of safety both for the vehicle on which it is installed and for other vehicles and persons around it.

While this invention is particularly applicable to vehicle horns, and is so described herein, it is to be understood that it may be applied to other types of audible signals, such as sirens, whistles, and the like. At the present time, all vehicle horns make a continuous noise. Many times this is not very effective in heavy traffic since the horn is drowned out by the traffic noise. Furthermore, a persons attention is more quickly drawn to an interrupted or fluctuating noise. It is now time that the vehicle horn which has been in use since the advent of the automobile be brought up to date to meet the present normal traffic requirements.

The present invention is designed to operate vehicle horns in such a way that they will attract attention in any reasonable traffic noise which may even be greater than the noise of the horn itself. This is accomplished by fluctuating, interrupting, or fluttering the originally produced signal. This fluctuation of the signal causes it to rise and fall so that it cannot blend in with other noises around it. The apparatus for fluctuating the signal is very simple, and two examples are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which, I

Figure 1 diagrammatically illustrates one form of audible signal apparatus, and

Figure 2 diagrammatically illustrates an alternative form of the invention.

Referring to Figure 1 in the drawings, I0 is a vehicle signal horn connected by a circuit H to a source of electrical power, such as a battery I2. The horn and battery are grounded at 13 and I4, respectively. The horn circuit may be directly controlled by a button switch, but it is usual to employ a relay I8 consisting of a switch I 9 in the horn circuit and a solenoid 2|] for operating said switch. The relay is in a circuit including the battery 12 and a normally open switch so that when the latter is closed, the relay is energized to operate switch l9 to set the horn into operation.

In this example, a switch 25 consisting of spaced contacts 26 and 21 having an armature 28 therebetween is provided, said armature being controlled by a solenoid 30. The contact 21 is connected by a wire 32 to one end of the coil of the relay solenoid 20, the opposite end of said coil being connected by a wire 33 to a portion of the horn circuit H extending to the battery [2. A wire 36 extends from the armature 28 to ground 31, said wire having a normally open control switch 39 therein. Actually, the horn relay circuit consists of wire 36, switch 39, armature 28, contact 21, wire 32, solenoid 20, wire 33, circuit II and battery I2, extending from ground to ground.

The armature 28 normally engages the switch contact 26 which is connected by a wire 42 to one end of the-coil of the solenoid 30, the opposite end of said coil being connected by a wire 43 to the portion of the horn circuit ll extending to the battery. A condenser 46 may bridge the coil of the control solenoid 30.

In order to operate the signal horn l 0, the control switch 39 is closed to energize the solenoid 30. The solenoid moves the armature away from contact 26 to engage contact 21 of the switch 25 to close the circuit of the relay l8, thus energizing the relay solenoid to close switch I9. This closes the horn circuit to cause the horn [0 to sound. The moment they armature 28 moves away from contact 26, the solenoid 30 is de-energizedso that the armature immediately returns from contact 21 to contact 26, breaking the relay circuit and releasing the switch I9 to break the horn circuit. If the control switch 39 is still closed, the solenoid is again energized and the cycle repeated. In this way, the signal horn is fluctuated as long as the control switch is closed.

In other words, the switch and its associated elements form switch means for continuously making and breaking the signal circuit when the control switch is closed to cause the audible signal to fluctuate.

If the condenser 46 is not used, the signal fluctuation is very rapid. However, this condenser is very desirable since it is charged when the control switch is closed and at the same time that the solenoid is energized, and the condenser discharges through the solenoid when the control switch is open to delay the action of the Solenoid armature.

In Figure 2, the condenser 46 is omitted, and a copper slug 50 is attached to either end of the core of the solenoid 30. In this example, it is attached to the end of the core at which the armature 28 is located. When the solenoid is energized, the copper slug causes the formation of a magnetic flux which opposes the normal flux of the coil todelay the operation of the switch 25.

With the present audible signal apparatus, the signal horn is fluctuated while the control switch is closed. Thus a fluctuating or interrupted sig-- nal is produced which cannot blend:with-any-of the normal traflic noises. This means that the signal will attract attention much more surely and effectively than the hornsnow in. common use. This advantage is obtained if 'a siren is substituted for a horn. As sirens are used on-fire: trucks, ambulances and police cars, which are usually moving at high speed. when the sirenisoperating, itis highly. desirable to attract attention.to.them in.the most effective..manner. A- person. may be only dimlyaware. ofa constant noise, whereas an interrupted noise will usually attract his attention;

WhatI claim .as-my invention-is:

1..Audible. signal apparatus comprising. an

electrically-operated audible signaL. an electric. circuitfon connectingthesignal to a'source of electrical. power, a normally. open control. switch in. the circuitfor closingthe latter to cause the signal tov sound, automatic electrical switch means. in the circuit. for continuously making and breaking, the:latterwhen the. control switchis closed to. cause. theoriginal signal-sound to fluctuataand means: for retarding the switch meansv to slow down. the. fluctuations of. the signal.

2. Audible signal apparatus comprising an electrically-operated audible. signal, an electric circuitior connecting the. signaltoasource-of electrical. power, a control switch. in the circuit,

asolenoid, a circuit. for connecting the solenoid,

to. thepower source, a condenser bridging the coil of. the-solenoida-switch consisting ofv two.

spaced contacts and an armature therebetween' forthe solenoid,.one.contact andthe armature being. in the audiblesignal circuit and the other. contactbeing in the solenoid.circuit saidarmae ture normally engaging thesolenoid circuit. con:

tact andbeingmoved into engagement with the.

other contact by, the energized solenoid'when the control switch is closed to cause the signal to operate, andsaid movement of the armature deenergizing thesolenoid' to' cuti'ofi the signal;

3; Audible signal apparatus comprising an electrically-operated audible signal, an electric and the armature being in the audible signal circuit and the other contact being in the solenoid circuit, said armature normally engaging the solenoid circuit contact and being moved into engagement with the other contact by the energized solenoid when the control switch is closed to cause the signal to operate, and said movement of the armature de-energizing the solenoid to cut off the signal.

4. Audible. signal apparatus forvehicles comprising an' electrically-operated audible" vehicle signal, an electric circuit connecting the signal toa source of electrical power, a normally open switch in. said circuit, a relay solenoid for operating the switch, a circuit connecting the relay solenoid to-thepowersource, a control solenoid, a'condenser bridging the coil of the control solenoid, a circuit connecting the control solenoid to the source of power and a switch consisting of two spaced contacts and an armature therebetween for. the control solenoid, one contact and the armature being in the relay. solenoid circuitand the. other contact beingv in the control solenoid I circuit, said armature normally engaging the control solenoid. circuit contactand being, moved. into engagement with the other contactby the-energized control. solenoid when.

the con-trolswitch is closed energizing the relay.

solenoid and closing the vehicle signal circuitto.

cause thesignaluto operate,- and said .movement ofthe. armature de-energizing the. control sole: noid to cutofi the vehicle signal.

5. Audible signal apparatus for vehieles-com-. prising. an. electrically-operated audible. vehicle signal, an electric circuit-connecting, the signal to, a source ofelectrical power,.a normallyopen:

switch in said circuit, arelay solenoidfor operating the switch, a-circuit-connecting therelay solenoid tothepower source, a control: sole? noid, acopper slug on one end: of. the control. solenoid core, a circuit connecting the, control solenoid to thesource. of power and a switch. consisting of two. spaced'contacts andan armature.

therebetweenfor. the control solenoid, one contact. andzthe armature being in the relay sole.- noidcircuit andthe other contactbeing in the control solenoid circuit, said armature normally engaging. the. control solenoid: circuit contact and being moved into engagement with the other contact by the energized control solenoid when. the control switch is closed energizing the relay solenoid-and closing-the vehicle signal circuit to cause-the-signal to operate, and said movement-- of. the armaturexde-energizing the control solenoidto cut off thevehicle signal.

JAMES DOHM.

R'eferences aitedlin the file of this patent UNITED. STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,743,711 Field Jan..14, 1930 1,853,709 Tibbetts Apr. 12; 1932 1,992,628 Oishei Feb. 26,1935" 2,340,502 Baker Feb. 1, 1944 

